Bobby Dalbec has switched things up at the plate this season as he begins the campaign with Triple-A Worcester after not making the Opening Day roster of the Boston Red Sox.
No, the right-handed hitting infielder, who slugged 25 home runs with the Red Sox in 2021, hasn’t made any substantial changes to his batting stance. Instead, the 27-year-old Dalbec is rocking a new piece of equipment when he stands into the batter’s box.
Dalbec is sporting glasses when he’s up to bat this season. He explained to MassLive’s Katie Morrison-O’Day that he has passed sight tests every spring training, but did see an ophthalmologist midway through last season.
“It showed that I needed to get contacts or some kind of prescription,” Dalbec told Morrison-O’Day. “I hate wearing contacts, so trying glasses, I feel comfortable with them. A little bit of an adjustment period, but it’s coming along.”
The glasses haven’t paid dividends at the plate quite yet. Dalbec, who has started at three different positions already and might soon add another position to his résumé, began the season 0-for-8 at the plate before belting a triple in the WooSox’s win over the Syracuse Mets on Sunday. He has also walked four times over the last two games.
“I feel like I’m having good at-bats to get on base,” Dalbec told Morrison-O’Day. “Just finally got on the board with a knock there, and I’m just trying to get some rhythm. You lose your rhythm a little bit when it’s cold because you’re a little tighter. And the last two at-bats, I just really tried to focus on having a rhythm at the plate and I feel like it worked out.”
